Field of Invention
The present invention relates to an air conditioning system, and more particularly to a window-type air conditioning comprising a water cooling unit which utilizes water as a cooling agent.
Description of Related Arts
Window-type air conditioning systems have been widely utilized all over the world. Referring to FIG. 1 to FIG. 3 of the drawings, a conventional window-type air conditioning system is illustrated. The conventional window-type air conditioning system comprises an outer housing 10P having an outdoor air inlet 11P, an air outlet 12P, a control panel 13P, an indoor air inlet 14P, and a frontal frame 15P. The outer housing 10P has an indoor compartment 101P and an outdoor compartment 102P partitioned by a divider 103P having a passage slot 1031P and a passage valve 1032P.
The conventional window-type air conditioning system further comprises a compressor unit 16P, an indoor heat exchanger 17P acted as an evaporator unit, an outdoor heat exchanger 18P acted as an condenser unit, a fan driving unit 19P arranged to drive a centrifugal fan 191P located in the indoor compartment 101P, and an axial fan 192P located in the outdoor compartment 102P.
As shown in FIG. 3 of the drawings, the superheated or vaporous refrigerant first leaves the compressor unit 16P through a compressor outlet 161P and is guided to enter the outdoor heat exchanger 18P for extracting heat to ambient air. The refrigerant is then guided to pass through a fluid valve 103P, a drying filter 104P, an expansion valve 105P, and enter the indoor heat exchanger 17P for absorbing heat from an indoor space. After the heat exchange process, the refrigerant is guided to flow back to the compressor unit 16P through a compressor inlet 162P.
Referring to FIG. 4 of the drawings, a conventional window-type air conditioning and heat pump system is illustrated. The structure is similar to the conventional window-type air conditioning system described above. The conventional window-type air conditioning and heat pump system further comprises a four-way valve 19P connected between the compressor unit 16P, the outdoor heat exchanger 18P, and the indoor heat exchanger 17P. The four-way valve 19P has first through fourth connecting port 191P, 192P, 193P, 194P. Depending in the flowing route of the refrigerant, the conventional window-type air conditioning and heat pump system may operate between an air conditioning mode and a heat pump mode.
When the conventional window-type air conditioning and heat pump system operates in the air conditioning mode, the four-way valve 19P is configured such that the first connecting valve 191P is connected to the second connecting valve 192P, while the third connecting valve 193P is connected to the fourth connecting valve 194P. The refrigerant first leaves the compressor unit 16P through the compressor outlet 161P and passes through the first connecting port 191P and the second connecting port 192P of the four-way valve 19P. The refrigerant then passes through the outdoor heat exchanger 18P for releasing heat to the ambient air. The refrigerant then leaves the outdoor heat exchanger 18P and passes through a unidirectional valve 20P, a drying filter 104P, an expansion valve 105P, and enters the indoor heat exchanger 17P for absorbing heat from the indoor space. The refrigerant then leaves the indoor heat exchanger 17P and passes through the fourth connecting port 194P, the third connecting port 193P, and goes back to the compressor unit 16P through the compressor inlet 162P.
When the conventional window-type air conditioning and heat pump system operates in the heat pump mode, the four-way valve 19P is configured such that the first connecting valve 191P is connected to the fourth connecting valve 194P, while the second connecting valve 192P is connected to the third connecting valve 193P. The refrigerant first leaves the compressor unit 16P through the compressor outlet 161P and passes through the first connecting port 191P and the fourth connecting port 194P of the four-way valve 19P. The refrigerant then passes through the indoor heat exchanger 17P for releasing heat to the indoor space. The refrigerant then leaves the indoor heat exchanger 17P and passes through a unidirectional valve 20P, a drying filter 104P, an expansion valve 105P, and enters the outdoor heat exchanger 18P for absorbing heat from the ambient air. The refrigerant then leaves the outdoor heat exchanger 18P. The refrigerant then passes through the second connecting port 192P, the third connecting port 193P, and goes back to the compressor unit 16P through the compressor inlet 162P.
There are several deep-seated disadvantages of conventional window-type air conditioning system which discourage further widespread use of them. In fact, split-type air conditioning and/or heat pump systems have been developed to substitute the use of window-type air conditioning systems.
The first disadvantage of a typical window-type air conditioning system is that the Coefficient of Performance (COP) is very low. A typical window-type air conditioning system usually has a C.O.P. of approximately 2.7. As a comparison, a typical split-type air conditioning system has a C.O.P. of approximately 3.2.
The second disadvantage of a typical window-type air conditioning system is that it is generally very noisy. Although noise attenuation technology has been developed to tackle this problem, the result is generally unsatisfactory, especially when the air conditioning system is located very close to its user. The loud noise produced by the air condition system may prevent the user from, say, sleeping properly.
The third disadvantage is that it is very hard to perform maintenance on a typical window-type air conditioning system. A window-type air conditioning system is installed on a window, and the installation makes it very difficult for a user to clean or repair it. When maintenance is necessary, the entire process typically requires two to three trained technicians and extensive work.